Canyons
Anglers fishing from New England ports found very different results depending on which canyon they fished this past week. Those fishing Atlantis found small mahi, a handful of longfin albacore, and one boat reported a wahoo. I spent last Friday night in Atlantis Canyon, and though the catching was lackluster, the trip, as always had enough excitement that I can’t wait to get back. You can read a full account of that trip here.
Those fishing Welkers or Hydrographers found bigeye, blue marlin and BIG yellowfin tuna. One yellowfin, weighed for the J and B Tri-State Shootout, went 117 pounds! That’s one massive yellowfin in this part of the world. Bigeye clocked in in the 200- to 250-pound range. Word is, the bite at Veatch has picked up as well. Most fish were caught on the troll, and the boats keeping lines in overnight reported slow action on tuna, though one vessel reportedly hooked and lost two swordfish.
Speaking of swordfish, a monster 434-pound – and pending Rhode Island State Record – swordfish was caught in Hydrographers early last Friday. You can read the captain’s account of the catch here.
Down south, the word is Wilmington Canyon, where yellowfin tuna and blue and white marlin are being found. Lots of dolphin are being caught there as well.
Nearshore
A mix of yellowfin and bluefin are being found at the Hot Dog and Elephant Trunk off South Jersey. Mixed in are a bunch of dolphin. Spreader bars, naked ballyhoo and skirted ballyhoo are doing the damage for trollers, while some anglers are finding success chunking with sardines or butterfish.
There are still bluefin off northern New Jersey for anglers hoping to hook some on the jig. Check the Atlantic Princess and the Barcardi for these fish.
The Mud Hole south of Block Island is reportedly turning out some very big bluefin for anglers giving it a shot.
The tuna bite east of Chatham has quieted significantly from a couple weeks back. One spotter pilot reported seeing hardly any tuna except for in the Peaked Hill Bar area. One 800-pound giant was landed in that vicinity this week on a live bluefish.
Stellwagen is fishing much better, however. Trolling spreader bars has accounted for as many as 4 fish a day for anglers out there, and running-and-gunning is turning up some good bites as well.
Small bluefin are spread throughout Cape Cod Bay, but they have been very finicky.
A large number of white marlin popped up in the waters 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard early this week. Anglers with live bait such as eels or scup had the most success. The marlin were holding in 68 degree water, while hotter waters were devoid of life.
Dolphin have been available around many inshore lobster pots and buoys south of the Cape. The same goes for buoys off Long Island and New Jersey around reefs and wrecks, or even though at the mouth of an inlet if the water is especially hot. Any warm, clean water should be holding these fish right now. Some peanut bunker, live killifish, squid or cut bait should tempt the fish. Toss a handful of bait toward a buoy and see if any mahi pop out. If not, move on to the next one.